Austin Peay (5-5 | 3-2 OVC) vs. Tennessee Tech (3-7 | 1-4 OVC)
Saturday, November 20th, 2021 | 2:00pm CT
Clarksville, TN | Fortera Stadium
Clarksville, TN – With a winning season on the line in the regular-season finale, the Austin Peay State University (APSU) football team will host Tennessee Tech on Senior Day this Saturday, at Fortera Stadium.
The kick-off is at 2:00pm.
The Governors enter the season’s final week on a two-game winning streak and can lock up a second-place finish in the Ohio Valley Conference with a win against the Golden Eagles. The Govs defense has intercepted eight passes in its last two outings and leads the FCS with 17 interceptions this season.
Offensively, quarterback Draylen Ellis has found his stride down the stretch, picking up back-to-back OVC Offensive Player of the Week awards with 572 passing yards, 5 passing touchdowns, a rushing touchdown, and no interceptions in his last two outings.
Saturday’s game against Tennessee Tech will be broadcast on ESPN+.
Inside The Film Room
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APSU Notably
Putting A Bow On 2021
The Austin Peay State University football team brings an end to its 2021 schedule when it hosts Tennessee Tech in a 2:00pm, Saturday Ohio Valley Conference contest.
It will be the Governors final football game as an OVC member and they seek to go out on a high note with a victory guaranteeing a second-place league finish. The Golden Eagles look to rebound from last weekend’s three-point outing at OVC Champion UT Martin.
Last Time Out
Another stellar defensive day saw Austin Peay State University turn four miscues into 23 points as it posted an impressive 36-7 OVC victory against Tennessee State. The Govs held the Tigers to seven points or less for only the second time in program history thanks to three takeaways and a blocked punt.
Jack McDonald finished with an interception, a fumble recovered, and five tackles. Troy Henderson Jr. added an interception, two tackles for loss, a sack, and six tackles.
APSU GOVS Trio Earn Weekly OVC Honors, Again
Another winning week, another week with three Austin Peay State University football athletes recognized by the OVC. Following the Governors’ 36-7 victory at Tennessee State, the league recognized sophomore quarterback Draylen Ellis (offensive), freshman kicker Maddux Trujillo (special teams), and freshman wide receiver Drae McCray (newcomer) with weekly honors.
Johnathon Edwards, The Quicker Picker Upper
Johnathon Edwards is a magnet for turnovers, picking off seven passes and recovering two fumbles this season.
He leads all FCS defenders with nine turnovers gained in the fall 2021 campaign.
He is tied Montana’s Justin Ford (9) and remained ahead of Furman’s Travis Blackshear (7) and Western Illinois’ Michael Lawson (7).
Baniko Harley 2000 + 20
With one catch – a 36-yard touchdown reception – at Murray State, Baniko Harley moved onto both the 2,000 yard and 20 touchdown plateaus. He enters Saturday’s game with 2,201 career receiving yards and 21 career touchdowns.
Harley is fifth all-time in career receiving yards and is third all-time in touchdown receptions. He needs 26 yards and four touchdown receptions to move into the next spot on each respective list.
Ahmaad Tanner To Two Thousand
Ahmaad Tanner’s 28-yard run to end the first quarter at Eastern Kentucky, September 25th, made him the ninth Governors running back to record 2,000 career rushing yards.
He enters this week’s game with 2,436 rushing yards and needs 128 yards to move past Mike Lewis (1985-89) for sixth on the APSU Govs all-time list.
Koby Perry For 16
Koby Perry was named the OVC Defensive Player of the Week, October 30th, following his career-high 16 tackles, a 75-yard pick-six, a tackle for loss, a pass breakup, and a quarterback hurry at UT Martin.
Those 16 tackles are tied for the most in the OVC this season and is tied for the ninth-best single-game total in the FCS this season, it is also the most tackles by a Gov since Gunnar Scholato recorded 17 tackles against Tennessee State (10/6/18).
Scotty Walden; or, Life At Austin Peay State University
When 2021 comes to an end (finally), Scotty Walden will have coached the Govs through 17 games in a 272-day span that began February 21st in Cookeville. His nine wins already ranks third among APSU head coaches through 17 games.
Only College Football Hall of Fame coach Boots Donnelly (11-6, 1977-78) and Watson Brown (10-7, 1979-80) have more wins through their first 17 APSU games.
About the Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles
This is the 54th meeting all-time in a series that Tennessee Tech leads 32-21, however, Austin Peay has won three of the last four meetings.
Tennessee Tech appears to be a balanced offense according to its yardage totals, with the passing game edging the running game by a 150-141 margin. Yet the Golden Eagles have done the bulk of their scoring via the ground game with 15 of their 23 offensive touchdowns coming on the ground.
The Golden Eagles boast the OVC’s No. 3 ranked defensive unit in league games this season. Tennessee Tech is permitting 350.4 yards per game this season. The Golden Eagles boast the league’s No. 3 pass defense (174.0 yards per game) but the No. 5 rush defense (176. 4 ypg).
David Gist is among the OVC’s Top-3 rushing and all-purpose runners in league action. Gist has rushed for 440 yards (88.0 ypg) to rank third behind Southeast Missouri’s Geno Hess and UT Martin’s Zak Wallace. He’s added 122 receiving yards in five OVC games this season and his 112.4 all-purpose yards per game is second behind Hess’ 127.8 all-purpose yards.
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Next Up For APSU Football
A long winter’s nap is on tap for the Austin Peay State University (APSU) football team which will take part in its first “normal” offseason under head coach Scotty Walden. The Governors return to the field in 280 days when they are slated to face Western Kentucky, August 27th, in Bowling Green, Kentucky to kick off the 2022 season.
